Rama presents 2008 park plan for cemetery

An aerial view of the Dona Pepang cemetery in barangay Carreta showing the Osmena Mauseleum. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA )

Amini ampitheater, and landscaped gardens with the Osmeña Mausoleum as the focal point are part of a 2008 plan to transform the Doña Pepang cemetery in barangay Carreta

The plan for a park was drawn up six years ago at the request of then mayor Tomas Osmeña.

City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday showed reporters the plans drafted by architect Socorro Atega for the cemetery in 2008.

The plan called for the retention of the Osmeña Mausoleum and the removal of other graves.

The area would have interior roads and a columbary to store the ashes of cremated remains of the dead.

Mayor Rama said he wants to execute the plan, and included a P10 million budget for the proposed Osmeña Memorial Park in his annual budget for 2015.

Rama also showed a letter written in 2008 by his predecessor asking the Cebu Archdiocese to donate the cemetery to the city.

“This refers to our intention to put up a beautiful park along M.J. Cuenco Avenue, this city. Accordingly, we have conducted already a preliminary discussion with an architect for the necessary preparation of the design. We envision to make this park a tourist spot,” Osmeña’s letter to then Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal in July 18, 2008 read.

Rama said he was authorized by the Cebu City Council to sign a deed of exchange and memorandum of agreement between the archdiocese and the city to swap the cemetery with a city-owned lot in barangay Pasil that is occupied by the Sisters of Charity.

In an interview on All Saints Day, Osmeña criticized notices posted telling occupants of the cemetery to transfer because the cemetery would be closed to make way for a park.

Osmena said he diddn’t want to be given special treatment by the city by retaining the Osmeña Mausoleum.

He said the plan didn’t go through the council and there is no approved budget for it.

But Rama said the budget for the area that will be called “Osmeña Memorial Park” is included in his proposed P18.9 billion annual budget for 2015.

“I’d like to thank my predecessor for aligning with what I wish to do, for the preservation of heritage, creating open spaces which can be multi-purpose like a park or a temporary shelter area in times of calamities,” Rama said noting that Cebu city lacks parks.

Rama said he wanted the place to be something like Paco Park in Manila which used to be the Manila Municipal Cemetery and was converted into a recreational garden area and park.

Cebu City Park Administrator Arlie Gesta said they proposed a P10 million budget for the Osmeña Memorial Park.

At least 30 families of informal settlers inside the cemetery will be displaced based on data from Cebu City Hall’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP).

“We’ve been meeting with the Archdiocese about this since last year. They’re asking why the plan to make it into a park hasn’t pushed through yet since it is part of the conditions in the deed of exchange,” DWUP Chief Collin Rosell said.

Rosell said they still have to determine how many graves will beaffected. Rosell said the Nov. 30 deadline may be extended since they still have to meet with the relatives.